In this section

166. MENTMORE.

(O.S. 6 in. xxiv. S.E.)

Ecclesiastical

(1). Parish Church of St. Mary, on high
ground E. of the village, has walls almost entirely
covered with cement. The roofs of the nave and
aisles are covered with lead, the other roofs are
tiled. The Nave is probably of the 12th century,
but no detail of that date remains; the North Aisle
and a S. aisle were added c. 1220, but the N. aisle
was almost entirely re-built in the second half of the
14th century, and the South Aisle was re-built and
widened early in the 15th century; c. 1490 the
West Tower and the clearstorey were added and the
nave arcades were re-built, some of the old material
being re-used. In 1858 the Chancel was re-built,
the tower restored, and the North-East Vestry and
South Porch were added.

Four 13th-century capitals, now used as bases
(see Plate, p. 39) in the nave arcades, and the 15th-century carved angels, of wood, in the roof of the
nave and aisles are noteworthy.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (34 ft.
by 17 ft.) is modern. The Nave (30 ft. by 19½ ft.)
has N. and S. arcades of three bays; the pillars and
responds have clustered shafts which were probably
re-cut c. 1490 from 13th-century circular columns;
the bases of the responds are possibly of the 13th
century, but have been restored with cement; the
bases of the pillars are inverted 13th-century
capitals, with stiff-leaf foliage; the heavy octagonal
capitals, of c. 1490, are moulded and embattled;
the two-centred moulded arches have labels with
plain stops. The clearstorey has three N. and
three S. windows, also of c. 1490, each of three
cinque-foiled lights, under a depressed straight-sided
head; they are all externally covered with cement.
The North Aisle (9 ft. wide) has, in the N. wall, two
14th-century windows, each of two cinque-foiled
lights and tracery in a two-centred head;
externally they are partly restored with cement:
between them is a third window, a modern
copy of the others. The South Aisle (9½ ft.
wide) has, in the E. wall, an early 15th-century
window of three lights; the cinque-foiled middle
light is continued to the apex of the two-centred
head; the other lights are trefoiled, with tracery
over them; the external stonework, including the
label, has been restored with cement. In the S.
wall is an early 15th-century window of two
cinque-foiled lights with tracery under a square
head; W. of the window is a modern doorway. In
the W. wall is a modern window. The West Tower
(13½ ft. by 11 ft.) is of two stages, with a S.E. stair-turret and an embattled parapet. Almost all the
detail is of late 15th-century date, but the external
stonework has been restored with cement. The
two-centred moulded tower arch has shafted jambs
with moulded capitals. The W. doorway has
hollow-chamfered jambs and four-centred head;
the W. window is of three cinque-foiled lights under
a four-centred head with an external label. In the
S. wall, opening into the stair-turret, is a doorway
with chamfered jambs and four-centred head.
The bell-chamber has, in each wall, a window of
two trefoiled lights with tracery; the heads
are two-centred; that of the window in the
E. wall is of earlier 15th-century date than the
others, with grooves for glass, and was taken
from another part of the church. The Roof of
the nave is modern, but at the feet of the intermediate rafters are carved wooden angels of
late 15th-century date; the carved grotesque heads
supporting the main beams are possibly old,
and one of the central bosses is also of the 15th
century. The roofs of the aisles are modern, but
have, at the feet of the rafters, carved angels
holding shields, similar to those in the nave and all
of late 15th-century date.

Fittings—Bells: five, all by Anthony Chandler,
1st to 4th 1668, 5th 1669; bell-frame carved with
initials and date 'I C 1668'. Brass (see Monuments
and Floor-slabs). Chest: In vestry—plain, possibly 17th-century. Communion Table: In vestry
—with turned legs, carved top rail, plain foot rail,
early 17th-century, top modern. Door: In tower
—opening into stair-turret, of plain rough battens,
with remains of strap-hinges, probably late 15th-century. Font: In tower—circular, with rough
mouldings, probably 12th-century, covered with
cement, not in use, found at a farm in the neighbourhood. Glass: In N. aisle—in head of one light
and in spandrel of N.E. window, fragments,
probably 15th-century. In S. aisle—in S.E. window, fragments. Monuments and Floor-slabs.
Floor-slabs: Now in churchyard—S. of tower, all
in fragments, (1) to John Theede, incised inscription
obliterated, in same slab, inscription on brass plate
to John Theede of Leburne in the parish of
Mentmore, 1641; (2) to Thomas Theede, 1675; (3)
to Mary, wife of Edward Wigg, daughter of Thomas
Theede, 1665; (4) to Mary, wife of John Theed,
1678. Piscina: In S. aisle—in S. wall, with
trefoiled head and circular basin, 15th-century,
outer order modern. Plate: includes cup and
cover paten, dated 1570.

Secular

(2). Manor Farm, about 500 yards E.N.E. of
the church, is a house of two storeys, the lower
storey of brick, the upper storey of timber and
brick; the roofs are tiled. It was built in the first
half of the 17th century, but has been restored and
altered. The plan is approximately T-shaped,
the central wing projecting towards the N.; at
the E. end of the transverse wing is a small modern
addition. The central chimney stack and another
stack at the N. end are original, but have been
restored; two other chimneys have some old
bricks in them.

Interior:—The parlour, in the N. wing, has a
wide fireplace, partly blocked, three large encased
beams in the ceiling, and a cupboard door of early
17th-century panelling. The kitchen, in the
transverse wing, has a large open fireplace, partly
blocked. In the upper storey the original oak
boards remain under the modern floors. The
staircase has a balustrade at the top with turned
newel and balusters of the 17th century, and a
handrail made up of pieces of carved oak of an
earlier date in the same century.

Condition—Poor; in need of general repair;
all the timber-framing is in bad condition.

Ledburn

(3). Ledburn Manor House, about 13/8 miles N. of
the church, is of two storeys and an attic; the walls
are almost entirely of brick, with some timber-framing. The roofs are tiled. The remains of
the original house, built probably in the 15th
century, consist of a small rectangular block,
probably formerly part of the hall, now the kitchen;
on the W. side is a slightly larger block, added late
in the 17th century, and containing the present
entrance hall, the staircase, and some of the domestic offices; in the 18th century a large rectangular
block was built on the N., extending towards the
E., and containing the principal rooms.

The house is interesting on account of the
mediæval remains.

The original block is timber-framed, with brick
filling of a later date; the gabled S. wall is partly
hidden by a square chimney stack of early 17th-century date. The late 17th-century wing has
plain gables and contemporary windows with flat
frames and mullions.

Interior:—In the 18th-century block the dining
room has, re-set, an early 17th-century fireplace
with moulded jambs and four-centred head, of
stone; the overmantel is supported by square
moulded baluster pilasters, and is divided into
three bays by columns on pedestals; the bay on
each side is panelled, and the middle bay arched;
the frieze and cornice are ornamented with
arabesques. In the original block, the open roof
of the kitchen has plain rough trusses of simple
construction.

Condition—Very good.

(4). Farmhouse, 250 yards S.W. of (3), is of two
storeys and an attic; the walls are of timber and
brick; the roofs are tiled. It was built probably
in the middle of the 16th century, on an L-shaped
plan, with the main block facing S., and a N.E.
wing; in the angle between them is a small staircase
wing; in the 17th century a block was added,
extending the length of the house on the E. side;
two modern additions have been made at the back.
On the S. front the W. half of the upper storey
projects; in the E. half the original block is
gabled. The W. wall of the main block and the
N. wall of the original wing are also gabled, and the
E. wall of the 17th-century addition has two
gables. The walls of the staircase wing have
modern brick filling and the old timber-framing is
possibly re-used. The main block has a central
chimney stack built of thin bricks, and between
the main block and the N.E. wing is another old
stack, re-built at the top.

Interior:—Two rooms in the main block have
original timbers in the walls and stop-chamfered
beams in the ceilings: the fireplaces are partly
filled in. The room in the N.E. wing has a large
open fireplace, with a heavy oak lintel, partly
blocked; the open timber ceiling has a heavy
chamfered beam in the middle. Two of the rooms
in the 17th-century addition have chamfered
beams in the ceilings. In the upper storey are a
few old beams and the floors have original oak
boards.